Improvements to be implemented for regional school bus eligibility

The State Government has today announced changes to the State's School Bus Service eligibility conditions ahead of the 2024 school year.

These eligibility changes were recommended in the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee's Bus Fair Report conducted in 2023 and followed extensive community consultation.

These changes broaden the eligibility of families able to receive transport assistance, giving families more flexibility and choice in planning for their children's schooling.

Key changes to the eligibility requirements include:

• allowing students to attend either their nearest district or senior high school, rather than just their closest school;
• more flexibility for social and community factors to be considered in an application for transport assistance; and
• allowing eligible students to receive transport assistance to travel to a regional town to attend their selected school.

Further consideration is also being given to other recommendations emanating from the review. The results of these considerations will be released over coming months.

On advice from the Department of Education, the rollout of the new eligibility allowing students to choose either their closest district or senior high school will be rolled out in 12 months' time for a small number of select schools.

The 12-month deferral for these schools will provide the Department of Education time to assess the long-term impacts of the change on those particular schools. The Department of Education will be communicating directly with those schools.

Parents with children who are starting school for the first time, changing schools, or changing their home address should complete the application online before 25 November.

All relevant information about the application process, and the changes to eligibility conditions, will be made available on the School Bus Services website.